How to Heal Trauma?

The traumatic event isn’t what caused the trauma, it is the body’s response to the perceived (and actual) threat that causes the psychological, physiological and neurological damage. The best way to work with these effects is through rebalancing the nervous system. The aim is to help access the body memory of an event, not the story. A body first approach to dealing with the problematic (and, oftentimes, physical) symptoms of trauma can be quite healing. It is less about reclaiming memories or changing thoughts and beliefs about how we feel, and more about looking at/experiencing the sensations that lie underneath our feelings, and uncovering our habitual behavioral patterns these feelings produce.

Many people find healthy ways to cope with, respond to, and heal from trauma. Often, people automatically reevaluate their values and redefine what is important after a trauma. These resilient responses increase bonding with family and community, cultivate a new sense of purpose and meaning and help to revise priorities. Compassion for self, others and the world at large grows.